Pressing machine



Sept. 8, 1953 H. E. COLE ETAL PRES-SING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledAug. 23, 1950 FIC5.|.

m w v N N 0 R EE O m 0 w WM H m Sept. 8, 1953 H. E. COLE ETAL PRESSINGMACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Aug. 23, 1950 FIG. 2.

' INVENTOR HYMAN E. COLE WALTER OLSEN ATTORNEYS PRESSING MACHINE FiledAug. 23, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 COMPRESSED AIR TAN SHUT-OFF COCK a E N 2%7 w m a f m e 0C L E m .0 v 2% w MW E R am I d 1. u V E 0 Q 7 4 4 IAL a0 d v Y 9 x C I ll. H B w u a at m. b a W m A u. I J F v 1 u 1 a J L I 21, 7/ mm /l/l/l/d Z u w Em mw A/ 7 6 7 v v 7 b 9.. w a a 0 w 1 Z a a a aw w. 4. 7 w w ATTORN EYS Sept. 8, 1953 H. E. COLE ETAL PRESSING MACHINE4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 25, 1950 INVENTOR 'HYMAN E, COLE ATTORNE'YS&

lIll/Il v 2. I V .l I IIIIIIIII- m HI/432ml)? T x I .1

Patented Sept. 8, 1953 PRESSING MACHINE Hyman E. Cole, Valley Stream, N.Y., and Walter Olsen, East Paterson, N. J., assignors to New YorkPressing Machinery Corporation, New York, N. Y., a, corporation of NewYork Application August 23, 1950, Serial No. 180,922

Claims.

Our invention relates to a, new and improved pressing machine, which maybe used for pressing and ironing garments and fabrics. Machine of thistype are well known. A machine of this type has a fixed head or base,sometimes designated as a buck, and a movable head which is movabletowards said buck and away from said buck. It is also well known tooperate the head by means of a low-pressure cylinder and a highpressurecylinder, which have respective pistons therein. The high-pressurecylinder, also desi nated as the high-force cylinder, is operated fromthe same source of compressed air or other fluid as the low-pressure orlow-force cylinder.

The low-force cylinder moves the head towards the buck to anintermediate position of said head, in which said head is either spacedfrom the garment on the buck or said head abuts the garment under verylight or zero pressure. The high-pressure piston of the high-pressurecylinder is then operated in order further to actuate the head, so as toapply the final high-pressure to the garment or other article on thebuck.

It is also well known to lock the machine when it is fully closed andwhen the final high-pressure is applied by the head.

According to our invention, we provide a simple and improved controlsystem for this well known type of machine.

We utilize a first valve casing which has the usual inlet valve and thusual exhaust valve. These valves are operated in unison, in the wellknown manner. We provide a first operatoractuated member, such as apedal, for opening the inlet valve in said first valve casing and forclosing the exhaust valve therein. We thus connect the source ofcompressed air to the lower end of the low-pressure cylinder and weactuate'a low-pressure piston outwardly in order to actuate the head andmove said head to its intermediate position. When the head is in saidintermediate position, the low-pressure piston clear a, port of thelow-pressure cylinder. The space of the loW- pressure cylinder whichcontains the compressed air, is thus put into communication with asecond valve casing, through an intermediate pipe. Said second valvecasing contains an inlet valve and exhaust valve which are operated inunison. We provide a second operator-actuated control memaer foroperating the valves in the second valve casing. This secondoperator-actuated control member is preferably a lever or arm which ispivotally connected for the support of the mo'vable head of the press.When this manually operated lever or arm is moved, the compressedpressure.

air flows through said second valve casing,

through a normally closed one-way or check valve connected in the pipeleading to the diaphragm chamber. This diaphragm chamber contains theusual resilient diaphragm which is flexed by the compressed air in saiddiaphragm chamber. The flexing of said resilient diaphragm opens aninlet valve, whereby compressed air is admitted into the high-pressurecylinder, in order to actuate the piston therein and finally to closethe press under high-pressure. The pipe through which the compressed airis admitted into the high-pressure cylinder is connected by a branchpipe of said diaphragm chamber, through a oneway or check valve. Whilethe compressed air is retained in said diaphragm chamber, no air canflow through the last mentioned check valve because it is subjected toequal pressure at both sides thereof and the usual spring maintains saidcheck valve in normally closed position. After the press has beenfinally closed under final highpressure, the operator can release thepedal, in order to exhaust the air from the first valve casin while themachine remains locked under high- In order to unlock the machine, weprovide a release valve which is located in a fourth valve casing. Whenthi release valv is opened by the operator, the air is exhausted fromthe diaphragm chamber and also from the pipe which connects the sourceof compressed air to the high-pressure cylinder. The machine is thusunlocked.

In addition, we connect the diaphragm chamher by a by-pass to the pipewhich connects the second valve casing to the diaphragm chamber. Thisby-pass is controlled by a manually operated valve. When this valve isopened, it permits the air in the diaphragm chamber to bypass the checkvalve into the second valve casing and escape through the exhaust outletwhen said arm or lever is released. This provides an automatic openingof the press when said hand operated lever is released, so that it isunnecessary to operate the release valve.

An important advantage of this invention is that if the operators handor another obstruction is accidentally interposed over the buck, therebypreventing the head from being moved to its intermediat position whenthe pedal is actuated, the low-pressure piston fails to clear the'portin the low-pressure cylinder. As a result, no compressed air is suppliedto the second valve casing, and it is impossible to actuate thehigh-pressure piston. Injury to the obstruction is thereby prevented.

Any problem as to whether the air leaving the port in the low-pressurecylinder is sufiicient directly to operate the high-pressure piston isavoided in this construction. The air leaving the port merely operatesthe inlet valve in the diaphragm chamber, and this inlet valve serves asa sort of mechanical relay means to admit air into the high-pressurecylinder. The use of this mechanical relay valve system makes itconvenient to utilize the check valve in parallel with the diaphragm asa locking means.

Numerous other objects and advantages and features of our invention aredisclosed in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate apreferred embodiment thereof.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation which shows the machine in its fuliy openposition. The buck and table and head of the machine are shown in brokenlines. The first control member, namely, the pedal 19, is shown innormal or non-operated position. The second control member, namely, thearm or lever is also shown in normal or non-operated position.

Fig. 2 is similar to Fig. 1, showing the machine in its fully closed andlocked position, in which the head is forced towards the buck underfinal high pressure.

Fig. 3 is an elevation, partially in vertical section, which shows thecontrols and valves and other parts of the air-supply means. Thefullline position of the head corresponds to the open position of themachine. The broken-line position of the head corresponds to the closedand locked position of the machine. The two operator-actuated controlmembers is and I are shown in their normal or unoperated positions. Thelow-force and high force pistons 9 and 59 are shown in their normalinner or non-operated positions.

4 is a detail elevation, partially in vertical section, which shows thefirst operator-actuated control member or pedal in its operatedposition, and it shows the first or inlet valve IS in its operatedposition, in which compressed air is admitted to the low-force cylinderIll.

Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4, showing the pistons 9 and E2 in their outerpositions, and showing the head 2 in its final high-pressure position,in. which the machine is fully closed. The broken-line position of thepedal [9 is its normal or nonoperated position. The broken-line positionof the arm or lever 4 is its normal or non-operated position. Thefull-line position of. the arm or lever is its o erated position.

Fig. 6 is a detail elevation, partially in vertical section, which showsthe release valve in its operated position.

Fig. 7 shows the needle valve in its open position, in order to unlockand open the machine when the arm or lever 4 is released, without operating the release valve.

Fig. 8 is a detail elevation of a modification in which additionalcontrol means are connected between the first operator-actuated controlmemoer or pedal and the low-force cylinder Ill.

The machine has a frame 3, the usual base or buck l and the usual head2. The head 2 is fixed to a U-shaped or Y-shaped arm 6, which isturnably connected by a pivot I to frame 3. Arm 6 has an extension 5a,which is connected by a pivot pin 9a to the piston rod 8 of a low-forcepiston 9, which is slidably positioned in low-force cylinder 48. Saidcylinder [0 is turnably connected at one end thereof to frame 3 by pivotpin Illa. Adjacent said pivot pin Illa, the low-force cylinder 10 isprovided at its inner end with an inlet H for admitting compressed airfrom one end of a flexible pipe I2, whose other end is connected to anoutlet port of a first valve-casing 14. Between its ends, the low-forcecylinder 10 has an outlet port 29a, which is connected by a flexiblepipe 29 to the inlet of a second valve-casing 30.

The outer end of cylinder 10 is provided with a pipe outlet [01), whichis always open to the atmosphere. When the piston 9 is in its full-lineinner position of Fig. 3, the arm 6 and head 2 are in their full-linepositions of Fig. 3 and the machine is iully open. When compressed airis admitted to cylinder 19 at its inner end through inlet H, the. piston9 is forced forwardly or outwardly. During said outward movement ofpiston: 9, the air in cylinder 10 which is in front of piston 9 escapesfrom cylinder In to the outer atmosphere through outlet lUb, which is apipe which is open at both ends thereof. When piston 9- is moved to aposition in front of outlet port 29a of cylinder I0, the compressed airbehind piston 9 flows-from cylinder l0 through port tea-and flexiblepipe 29- to the second valve-casing 393. When the piston 9 is thus movedin front of port 290., in order to establish communication betweencylinder 10 and pipe 29, the head 2 touches the garment or other articlewhich is located on buck i, or head 2 is slightly spaced from saidarticle. The head 2 and piston 9 are then in their intermediatepositions and the machine is partially closed. The function of low-forcecylinder [0 is mainly or wholly to move the head to a position which isclose to its final pressure position, without applying the final highpressure to head 2.

The first valve-casing I4 has an air-inlet to which pipe 15a isconnected. Said pipe 15a is an extension of a pipe I5, which isconnected to a source of compressed air. Said pipe I5 is provided withan air strainer and a manually operated shut-01f cock.

Cylindrical valves 3 and 26, which are fixed to a valve-rod 22, fitclosely against the respective adjacent parts of the inner wall ofvalvecasing Hi. The valve i6 is the inlet valve. The valve 26 is theusual exhaust valve. A compression spring ll, whose upper end abuts anadjustable nut l8 which closes the upper end of first valve-casing M,normally maintains the valves H5 and 26 in their normal positions ofFig. 3'. In its normal position, the first valve or inlet valve 16 isclosed and it abuts a valve-seat which is provided by an inner shoulderof valve-casing I4, thus blocking communication between the air-inletport of the first valve-casing l4 and the air-outlet port of the firstvalve-casing M. In its normal position of Fig. 3, exhaust valve 26 isopen and located below its valve-seat, which is provided by a respectiveinternal shoulder of valve-casing M. Between said shoulder and thenormal position of valve 26, the valve-casing I4 is provided with a pipeoutlet 28 which is always open to the outer atmosphere. Like outlet 1%of cylinder In, the outlet 28 of valve-casing I4 is a pipe which is openat both ends. The valverod 22 extends through the bore of a hollow nut21, which is fixed to first valve-casing M.

In this embodiment, the first operator-actuated control member is apedal [9, which is turnably connected by pivot pin 20 to the frame 3 ofthe machine. A compression spring 2| yieldingly maintains the pedal IS!in its normal position of Fig. 3, in which the first or inlet valve I6is closed.

Pedal l9 has an extension lBa, which has a bore or opening through whichthe first valve-rod 22 extends slidably. The lower end of a compres thefirst valve-rod 22. Nuts are fixed to the bottom end of the firstvalve-rod 22. The top nut 25 abuts the bottom face of extension Illa.When pedal I9 is in its normal, unoperated position of Fig. 3, thetopcompression spring I? has a greater force than the bottom compressionspring 24, so that valves l6 and 26 are maintained in their respectivenormal positions of Fig. .3.

When the pedal I9 is turned counterclockwise from its normal position ofFig. 3 to its position shown in Fig. 4 and also shown in full lines inFig. 5, the compression of lower spring 24 is increased, so that thefirst or inlet valve I6 is moved upwardly away from its valve seat, thusestablishing communication between pipes I51; and 2 through the firstvalve-casing I4. At the same time, exhaust valve 26 is moved against itsvalve seat, thus preventing flow of the compressed air through the pipeoutlet 28, so that air cannot flow out of the first valve-casing l4,save through pipe l2.

The second valve-casing 30 is closed at its right end. Said secondvalve-casing 30 is provided with a second valve-rod 36, which extendsslidably through the bore of a hollow guide-nut which is provided at theleft end of second valvecasing 33. Said second valve-rod 36 hascylindrical valves 44 and 32 fixed thereto. The valve 32 i designated asthe second valve. A compression spring 34 yieldingly maintains thevalves 44 and 32 in their normal positions of Fig. 3, in which thesecond valve 32 is closed and abuts its valve-seat and exhaust valve 44is open and spaced from its valve-seat of second valve-casing 30. In itssaid normal position, the second valve 32 blocks communication betweenpipe 29 and the outlet pipe 3| of the second valve-casing 30. In saidnormal position of valve 44, it is spaced from the pipe outlet 45 ofvalve-casing 36. This pipe-outlet 45 is always open to the outeratmosphere.

When the second valve-rod 36 is moved inwardly to its position of Fig.5, valve 44 is moved against its seat and the second valve 32 is movedaway from its seat. The compressed air then flows out of cylinder l0through its outlet port pipes 46 and 3| are designated as a diaphragmchamber connecting conduit, in which the oneway valve 41 is located.

It is then to be noted that no compressed air can flow through pipe 3|,upon inward movement of valve-rod 36, unless pedal |9 has first beenmoved to its position of Fig. 4.

When compressed air thus enters pipe 46, said compressed air upwardlyflexes a resilient diaphragm 58, so that it is flexed from its normalflat shape of Fig. 3 to its upwardly flexed shape of Fig. 5. The outletend of this diaphragm-connecting conduit is connected to the inner endof a pressure-chamber or diaphragmchamber, which is sealed at its outerend by the flexible and resilient diaphragm 50. This dia- 6 phragm 50 isan actuating or control means for the third valve 54.

The diaphragm 50 abuts valve 5|, which is located in a thirdvalve-casing 53. A branch pipe 56 of pipe |5a i connected to the thirdvalvecasing 53 through a regulating valve. A pressure gauge is alsoprovided. The valve 5| is fixed to a valve-rod 52, to which the thirdvalve 54 is also fixed. When diaphragm 50 is in its normal shape of Fig.3, a compression spring 55 normally maintains the third valve 54 inclosed position against its valve seat, and normally maintains valve 5|spaced below its valve seat of valve-casing 53. Said third valve-casing53 has a pipe outlet 82, which is open to the outer atmosphere. Whenvalve 5| is moved to its position of Fig. 5, it prevents t-he flow ofair out of pipe outlet 82.

When diaphragm 50 is flexed upwardly, the third valve 54 is movedupwardly away from its valve seat in order to open said third valve 54,and valve 5| is moved against its valve seat. Communication is thusestablished between pipe 56 and the adjacent branch of pipe 51, throughthe third valve-casing 53. The adjacent ends of the branches of pipe 51are connected to each other through a coupling to which a fourthvalvecasing I6 is connected through a nipple 13a which has a narrowbore. Said fourth valve casing 16 has a one-way valve, which isconventionally represented by a ball 17, which is normally held inclosed position against its seat by a compression spring 18. The fourthvalve-casing 16 is connected by pipe 19 to pipe 46.

When pipe 46 has a filling of compressed air to keep the resilientdiaphragm 5|] upwardly flexed, the air pressure in pipe 46 is equal tothe air pressure in pipe 51, so that valve 11 will remain closed. Thecompressed air which flows through pipe 51 enters the high-forcecylinder 58, which is optionally and preferably of greater diameter thanthe low-force cylinder I6. For convenience, the pipe 51 is designated asa highforce cylinder pipe, because it delivers compressed air to theinlet of the high-force cylinder 58.

Hence, although cylinders I0 and 58 operate under air at the samepressure, the high-force piston 59 of cylinder 58 exerts greater forcethan piston 3 of cylinder Hi. The high-force cylinder 58 is turnablyconnected to the frame 3 of the machine by a pivot pin 6 I. Thehigh-force piston 59 of cylinder 58 has a piston rod 63, which ispivotally connected at 62 to an arm 63 which is pivotally connected at64to the frame 3 of the machine. Rod 65 is pivotally connected at 66 toarm 63. p

This rod 65 is of adjustable length and it is provided with conventionalmeans 61 for adjust ing its length. Rod 65 is fixed to an extension 66aof member 6a.

The arm 63 and rod 65 therefore provide two arms of a toggle which havea common pivot 66.

When high-force piston 59 is operated, the arm 63 and rod 65 are movedfrom their full-line positions of Fig. 3 to their broken-line positionsof I Fig. 3, and other parts shown in Fig. 3 are moved from thefull-line positions to their broken-line positions, thus applying thehead 2 under final high pressure against the garment or other article onthe buck v In order to move the second valve rod 36 from its normalposition of Fig. 3 to its operated position of Fig. 5 in order to openthe second valve 32, an arm 38 is turned from its normal position ofFig. 3.. This arm 38 is pivoted at 4| to the frame 3 of the machine. Atension spring 42a 7 normally holds arm 38. itsnormalposition oi Fig. 3.Said arm 38 has a boss through which a valve-actuating rod 31. extends.sliolalolly. A compression spring 39 keeps the head of rod .1 in contactwith the. proximate tip of rodv 36. A nut 40 limits the movement of rod31 relative to arm 38,.

When, arm 38 is in its normal position at Fig. 3, the iorce of thecompression pring 3.4 maintain the valves 44 and 3.2 of rod'35 in theirnormal positions of Fig. 3.

Arm 38 can be turned from its normal position of Fig. 3 to its operatedposition of Fig. 5, by means of a flexible wire 42 which may have asuitable flexible covering 4311.

One end of wire 42 is connected tov arm 38. The other end of wire, isconnected through a rigid head 43 and a pivot a to the lug of an arm 4,which is pivoted at 5 to arm 5. Said arm 6 is u-shaped or Y-shaped, sothat. it has two legs between which arm 4 can be. located. When arm 4 isturned toward head 2,. arm 38, is operated by wire 42 Head 2 cannot be pced under hi h pressure until pedal 89 has been depressed. This is animportant safety feature. In operation, the parts are initially in theposition of Fig. 1. The operator then places a garment or other articleon book I and depresses pedal i9. This actuate-s low-pressure piston 9to move head 2 to its intermediate position adiacent buck i. If head 2.is moved only under the impetus of low-pressure piston 9, the operatorwill not be injured if he has neglected to remove his hand from betweenbuck l and head 2.

In some prior machines, it has been possible to actuate thehigh-pressure lever and thereby move the high-pressure pistonindependently of the i ovementv of the low-pressure cylinder. In thiscase, the operator could retain his hand between buck i and head 2,while depressing the foot pedal to move head 2 to a position adjacentbuck. l. andthen actuate the high-pressure piston. This could result inserious injury.

the present machine, the depressing of arm 4, will 1% result in theactuating of high-pressure piston 59 unless low-pressure; piston 9 hasfirst cleared outlet 29a and thereby permitted. highpressure air toenter valve-casing 30. However, if an obstruction such as a human handis placed between buck, I and head 2, thereby preventing head 2 frommoving to its intermediate position which is normally reached when pedali9 is de-. pressed. piston I9 tails to cle r outlet 29 A a result, thedepressing of arm 4 fails to cause high pressure to be applied to piston59, and the obstruction is not crushed.

' After arm 4 has been turned to its full-line position of Fig. 5 inorder to exert final high pressure upon head 2, said arm 4 may bereleased without releasing said high pressure, so that the machineremains fully locked and said final high pressure is maintained. Whenarm 4 is released after said final high pressure has been applied tohead 2, the second valve 32 is moved back to its position of Fig. 3, andvalve 44 is also mQved back to its position of Fig. 3. The compressedair thus escapes from the second valve-casing 30 to the outeratmosphere, through pipe outlet 45,. However, the one-way valve 4! isnow held closed by its spring 68, so that compressed. air can not escapefrom pip 46. The di phr m 50 is thus maintained upwardly flexed as shownin Fi 5. and the thi d v lv 54 is thus maintained in ts open position ofFig. 5, and the desir d air=pressure is maintained in. th h gh-f rce.oviinder 58.. Pedal. I9. can be. e eased, hen th machine has bee iullvoc e or pedal 9. may be k pt. its depr ssed position oi His. 4 a er the.ma hine has. been fully locked- I e p da [9 is, released alter themachine. has e n h l y looked. he ompresse air in low f lin Ml flows,reversely through pipe 12 to the first alve-c s n l4. and. o t o s idfirst. valve-casin l4, through. p pe-outlet 28. to the u r atmosphere...However, the compressed air cannot escape from the, high-force cylinder58 as long as diaphragm 50 remain upwa dly fl xed. so that the requiredhi h press r s ma ntain d n head 1..

The machine may be opened ways.

In. one method of operation. a fifth or le e valve-casing .3. is usefiit or re as valve-easing '13 has valve-r d .0.. to w ich. al es U and15 ar fixed. The valve H. i the fifth or release or relief valve. Saidrelease valves casin 13 has a pipeoutlet 14. which open to theatmosphere. The right end of the release valve-casing is closed. Thevalve rod 10 extends lid bly throu h a hollow n t wh h is pr vid at the,left end of release valve-casing 13. The

valves 15 and H are normally maintained in their positions of 3 and 5 ya compression pring 12..

The release valve H is moved to its open or release position of Fig. 6.by manually operating a push rod or push link 68. One end of acompression sprin 69. abuts. fram 3 and the o er end of spring 69 abutsa head of push-link 88. As shown in Fig. 1 one end of he push-rod orpush-link 68 ha an xtension whi h turna v onnected at 68a to an. ang larar 581. which i hingedly connected at 630 to the table T of he machine.Said an u ar bar 8 2 h a pus face B.

his pivoted an ular bar on ext nds lat ra y across the mach n so that itcan be conv n entl operated by the hand or leg or the operator.

Normally, no air can escape through valve casing 13, because valve H isseated. However, when bar 68b is operated to move valve H from itsposition of Fig. 3 to its position of Fig. 6, compressed air in hih-force cylinder 58 then flows throu h pipe 51. to ope the o y valveand. said. compressed air flows hr u h p p s 9. 46, and a to the l asealve-ea ng 3 a to the outer atmosphere through p e-outlet 1 Ill. some$815.65., it is desira le 1 i- 2 115.5 th re ea e val e ll ior p ningthe machine. In such case t e arm or le er 4 s he d d as lon as it isdesired. to maintain the high pressure. and such high pressure isreleased by merely releasing the arm or lever 4.

For this purpose, the pipe 46 is provided with a passage which iscontrolled by a manually op erated release needle-valve 80. Said passageis connected by pipe 8! to pipe 31. The release or relief needle valve80 is normally closed to block communication between pipes 46 and 31through pipe 8|. If it is desired to control the high pressure withoutusing the release valve 1 I, the needle valve 80 is moved by hand to itsopen position of Fig. '7 and is kept in said open position. In suchcase, when pressure is applied to arm or lever 4, the head 2 is moved toits high-pressure position as previously stated, and head 2 is kept itshigh-pressure position as long as lever 4 is kept pressed down by handto keep arm 38 in its posi ion or Fig... 5.. When the lever 4. is r inone of two.

9 leased, and arm 38 is moved back to its position of Fig. 3, it isunnecessary to operate rod 10, because the open needle-valve 80 willpermit compressed air to escape from pipe 46 through pipe 8| and out ofvalve-casing 30 through its outlet pipe 45 to the outer atmosphere. Whendiaphragm 50 returns to its unfiexed shape of Fig. 3, or as soon asdiaphragm 50 is sufliciently unfiexed from its fully flexed shape ofFig. 5, compressed air can escape from pipe 51 through outlet pipe 82 ofvalve-casing 53.

The opening of the press is assisted by means of two tension springs 85.One end of each said tension spring 85 is fixed to a yoke 86 which ispivotally connected to the frame 3 of the machine by pin 81. The otherends of said tension springs 85 are connected to a head 88, which isconnected to the pivot 9a.

The movement of the head 2 is also cushioned or clamped by means of adash-pot device which includes a dash-pot cylinder 89. The flow of airout of the dash-pot cylinder 89 is controlled by an adjustableneedle-valve 90. The dash-pot cylinder 89 has the usual piston (notshown) whose piston rod is pivotally connected at 9| to the usualadjustable link 92 which ispivotally connected at 93 to the extension6a. The supplemental needle-valve 90a is optionally provided in order toregulatethe flow of air into the dashpot cylinder 89.

An alternate construction is shown in Fig. 8, in which pedal l9 operatesmechanical relay means to allow the passage of air to low-pressurecylinder l0, entirely similarly to the manner in which the manipulationof arm 4 permits air to operate mechanical relay means to allow thepassage of air to high-pressure cylinder 53.

Fig. 8 differs from the other figures in that the outlet port of firstvalve casing I4 is not connected directly to pipe [2. Instead, theoutlet port of easing I4 is connected to pipe 46a, and air entering thispipe 46a upwardly fiexes a resilient diaphragm 50a which is the same inconstruction and operation as diaphragm 50. This diaphragm 50a isassociated with a valve casing control 53a which is the same inconstruction and operation as valve casing 53. A pipe 56a is connectedbetween pipe la and the inlet of valve casing 53a, and the inlet end ofpipe 12 is connected to the outlet of valve casing 5311..

In this construction, when pedal I 9 is depressed, compressed air ispermitted to pass from pipe l5w to pipe 46a and flex diaphragm50aupwardly. This makes it possible for the main supply of compressed airto pass from pipe Ilia through pipe 56a. and valve casing 53a into pipeI2 and thence into low-pressure cylinder l0.

In Fig. 8, the valve-casings l4 and 53a are respectively in anterior andsucceeding positions, so that valve casing l4 may be designated as theanterior valve-casing and the succeeding valve-casing. In Fig. 3, thevalve-casings 30 and 53 are likewise anterior and succeeding valvecasings.

When pedal I 9 is released, the parts return to their normal position,and no more compressed air reaches pipe [2.

We have disclosed preferred embodiments of the invention, but numerouschanges and omissions and additions can be made without departing fromits scope.

We claim:

1. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a low-force cylinder which hasa low-force .10piston slidable therein, a high-force cylinder which has a high-forcepiston slidable therein, and connecting means between said pistons andsaid head to move said head towards said buck when said pistons aremoved in respective outward strokes in their respective cylinders, and acommon source of compressed air for said cylinders, the combination offirst and second and third valve casings, each casing having a normallyclosed inlet valve and a normally open exhaust valve, 2. firstoperator-actuated member associated with said first casing and adaptedto open the respective inlet valve and to close the respective exhaust'valve, a second operatoractuated member associated with said secondcasing to open the respective inlet valve and to close the respectiveexhaust valve, inlet pipes respectively connecting said source ofcompressed air to inlet .ports of said first and third casings, anotherpipe which connects an outlet port of said first casing to an inlet portof said low-force cylinder, said low-force cylinder having an outletcylinder port which is connected toan inlet port of said second casing,said outlet cylinder port being cleared by said low-force piston whensaid head substantially abuts said buck, said third casing having adiaphragm chamber which hasan inlet at one end thereof and which issealed at its other end by a flexible diaphragm, a connectingdiaphragm-chamber conduit which connects said second casing to the inletof said diaphragm chamber, a check valve located in said connectingdiaphragmchamber conduit and operable to permit the flow of air throughsaid connecting diaphragm-chamber conduit in only a single directionfrom said second casing towards said inlet of said diaphragm chamber,said diaphragm being operable by compressed air in said diaphragmchamber to open the inlet valve and to close the exhaust.

valve of said third casing, said third casing having an outlet portwhich is connected by a highforce cylinder pipe to the inner end of saidhighforce cylinder, an additional pipe which connects said high-forcecylinder pipe to said diaphragm-chamber conduit succeeding thecheckvalve in said conduit, another check-valve in said additional pipewhich is operable to permit the fiow of air through said additional pipein only a single direction from said high-force cylinder pipe towardssaid diaphragm-chamber pipe, and

a movable relief valve connected to said dia-' phragm chamber andoperable to relieve theair pressure in said diaphragm.

2. A combination according to claim 1, in which said relief means is anoperator-actuated valve.

3. A combination according to claim 1, in which said diaphragm chamberis connected beyond said mentioned check valve to said connecting pipethrough an adjustable valve which is adjustable to open and closedpositions.

4. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a low-force cylinder which has a low-force pistonslidable therein, a high-force cylinder which has a high-force pistonslidable therein, and connectmg means between said pistons and said headto move said. head towards said buck when said pistons are moved inrespective outward strokes 1n their respective cylinders, and a sourceof compressed air, the combination of operator-actuated means to controlthe admission of compressed air into said low-forcecylinder to move thelow-force piston in its outward stroke and to'control the exhaust ofsaid compressed air from said 10W- ii force cylinder, a diaphragmchamber which has an inlet port, additional operator-actuated meanshaving an outlet port which is connected by an inlet pipe to said inletport of said diaphragm chamber and having an inlet port which isconnected to said source of compressed air through means controlled bysaid low-force piston whereby compressed air is led to said diaphragmchamber at a selected point in the outward stroke of said low-forcepiston and resulting selected movement of said head toward said buck byoperation of said additional operator-actuated means, said inlet pipehaving a check valve which prevents reverse flow of compressed airthrough said inlet pipe from said diaphragm chamber, a power inlet pipewhich connects the inlet end of said highforce cylinder to said sourceof compressed air, a normally closed power-control inlet valve whichcontrols the flow of air through said power inlet pipe to saidhigh-force cylinder, said power inlet pipe being connected to the inletport of said diaphragm chamber by a normally closed checkvalve whichpermits flowo'f air from said power inlet pipe to said diaphragmcha'mberonly when the pressure in said diaphragm chamber is less thanthe pressure in said power inlet pipe, a resilient diaphragm which sealsone end of said diaphragm chamber, said diaphragm being operable underair pressure to open said power control inlet valve, and a movablerelief valve which is connected to said diaphragm chamber and which isoperable to connect said diaphragm chamber to the atmosphere.

5. A pressing machine which comprises first, second, and thirdvalve-casings, each valve-casing having a valve-stem located therein,each valve-stem having an inlet valve and an exhaustvalve fixed thereto,each valve-stem being biased to normal position in which its inletvalve'is normally closed and its exhaust valve is normally open, alow-force cylinder which has -a low-force piston slidable therein, ahigh-force cylinder which has a high-force piston slidable therein, eachsaid cylinder having a cylinder-inlet at its inner end, saidmachineha'v'ing'a irame,'eachcylinder being pivoted at its'inner endto-said frame, a buck, a head connected to a supporting arm which ispivoted to said frame, saidsupporting arm having an arm-extension, saidlow force piston being connected to a low-force piston-rod which is'pivotally connected to said arm=extension to move saidheadtowards-said-buclg'during the outward stroke of said low force piston,an actuating arm which is pivoted at one end thereof to said frameand'pivoted at its othere'nd to said arm-extension, the point at whichsaid low-force piston rod is connected to said arm- ,extension beingbetween the point at which said supporting arm is pivoted to saidmachineand the point at which said actuatingarm is pivoted 'to saidarm-extension, said high-force piston being connected by a respectivepiston-rodto saidactuating arm to move said head towards said buckduring the outward stroke of said high-force piston, said firstvalve-casing having an inlet port connected to a source of compressedair and an outlet port connected to the inlet of said lowforce cylinder,operator-actuated means'ior moving the inlet valve of said firstvalve-casing to open position and to move the associated exhaust valveto closed position, said low-force cylinder having an outlet cylinderport between its ends, said low-force piston passing beyond said outletcylinder port when said head substantially abuts said buck, said outletcylinder port being con- V a 12 nectedto an inlet port of said secondvalve-casing, second operator-actuated means for moving the inlet valveof said second valve-casing to open position and to move the associatedexhaust valve to closed position, said second valve casing having anoutlet port which is connected through a check-valve to a pressurechamber, a member movable in said pressure chamber and operative by theincreased pressure therein when said outlet cylinder port is clear andsaid inlet valve of said second valve-casing is opened to move the inletvalve of the third valve-casing to open position and to close theassociated exhaust valve, said third valve casing having an inlet portconnected to said source of compressed air, said third valve casinghaving an outlet port which is connected by a pipe to the inlet of saidhigh-force cylinder, said pipe being connected between its ends throughanother check-valve to said pressure chamber, a movable relief valvewhich is connected to said pressure chamber and which is operable toconnect said pressure chamber to the atmosphere.

6. A-machine according to claim 5, in which saidmachine has a table andsaid relief valve is an operator-actuated valve which is operated to itsopen position by a lateral bar which is hinged to said table and whichextends laterally substantially across the entire frame of the machine.

7. A machine according to claim 5, in which said relief valve succeedssaid other check-valve.

8. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a low-force cylinder which has a lowforce.-pistonslidable therein, a high-force cylinder which has a high-force pistonslidable therein, connecting means between said pistonsand said headtomove said head towards said buck when said pistons are moved inrespectiveoutward strokes in their respective cylinders, and a commonsourceozf compressed air for said cylinders, the combination ofoperator-actuated means connecting said source of compressed air to aninlet port of said lowforce cylinder, said low-force cylinder having anoutlet cylinder port which is cleared by said lowforce piston when saidhead substantially abuts said buck, normally closed valve meansconnecting saidsource ofcompressed air to an inletport of saidhigh-force cylinder, and. pressuie-responsive means for opening saidnormally closed valve means, said pressureresponsivemeansbeing'connectible to said'outlet cylinder port of said lowforcecylinder, by additional operator-actuated valve-means.

9. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a low-force cylinder which'ha's a low-force pistonslidable therein, a high-force cylinder which has a high-force pistonslidable therein, connecting means between said pistons and said-head tomove said head'towardssaid buckwhe'n said pistonsare moved in respectiveoutwardstrokes in their respective cylinders, and a common source ofcompressed air for said cylinders, the combination of operator-actuatedmeans for connecting said source of compressed air to an inlet port ofsaid low-force cylinder, saidlo'w force cylinder having an outletcylinder port which is cleared by said low-force piston when said headsubstantially abuts said buck, first and second valvecasings, eachcasing having a normally closed inlet valve and a normally open exhaustvalve, an-operatoractuated member associated with said firs'tcasing toopen the respective inlet valve and to close the respective exhaustvalve, an inlet pipe which conphragm being flexed by the increasedpressure insaid diaphragm chamber resulting from said outlet cylinderport being cleared and said inlet valve of said first casing beingopened, said second casing having an outlet port which is connected by apipe to the inner end of said high-force cylinder.

10. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a cylinder which has a piston slidable therein,connecting means between said piston and said head to move said headtoward said buck when said piston is moved in an outward stroke in saidcylinder, and a source of compressed air, the combination of a firstvalve casing and a control valve casing, each said casing having anormally closed inlet valve and a normally open exhaust valve, anoperator-actuated member associated with said first casing and adaptedto open the respective inlet valve and close the respective exhaustvalve, air-carrying means respectively connecting said source ofcompressed air to inlet ports of said first and control casings,air-carrying means connecting an outlet port of said first valve casingto a diaphragm chamber which has a resilient diaphragm which is locatedand operative to open the inlet valve and close the exhaust valve ofsaid control casing, said control casing having an outlet port which isconnected by air-carrying means to the inner end of said cylinder.

11. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a low-force cylinder which has a low-force pistonslidable therein, a high-force cylinder which has a high-force pistonslidable therein, connecting means between said pistons and said head tomove said head towards said buck when said pistons are moved inrespective outward strokes in their respective cylinders, and a commonsource of compressed air for said cylinders, the combination ofoperator-actuated means for controlling the admission of compressed airfrom said source of compressed air into said low-force cylinder to movethe low-force piston in its outward stroke and to control the exhaust ofsaid compressed air from said low-force cylinder, a normally closedpower control inlet valve which is connected between said source ofcompressed air and the inlet openingof said high-force cylinder andwhich is adapted to control the admission of compressed air from saidsource of compressed air into said high-force cylinder to move thehigh-force piston in its outward stroke and to control the exhaust ofair from said high-force cylinder, means for opening and closing saidpower control inlet valve, and means for operating said opening andclosing means, said operating means comprising an operator-actuatedvalve which has an outlet port and an inlet port which is connected toan outlet port of said low-force cylinder, said outlet port of saidlow-force cylinder being positioned to be cleared by said low-forcepiston at a selected point in its outward stroke and at a resultingselected position of said head with respect to said buck whereby toconnect said operator-actuated valve to said source of compressed air, adiaphragm chamber, a resilient diaphragm which seals one end of saiddiaphragm chamber, said diaphragm chamber having an inlet port which isconnected to the outlet port of said operator-actuated valve whereby toadmit'air into said diaphragm chamher to flex said diaphragm outwardlyby operation of said operator-actuated valve when said lowiorce pistonhas cleared said outlet portof said low-force cylinder, said diaphragmbeing operatively. connected to said opening and closing -means wherebyto open said power control inlet valve by said flexing. of saiddiaphragm, and operator-actuated means connected to said inlet port ofsaid diaphragm chamber for relieving the pressure therein whereby toreturn said diaphragm to its normal valve.

12. A combination in accordance with claim 11, in which said reliefmeans comprises said operator-actuated valve.

13. A combination in accordance with claim 11, said operator-actuatedvalve being connected to the inlet port of said diaphragm chamberthrough a first check-valve which permits air to flow only from saidoperator-actuated valve to said diaphragm chamber, said power controlinlet valve having an outlet port which is connected to the inlet portof said diaphragm chamber through a second check-valve which permits airto flow only from said power inlet valve to said diaphragm chamber, saidrelief means comprising a further manually operative valve which isnormally closed.

14. A combination in accordance with claim 13, in which said first checkvalve is by-passed by a pipe which has a valve which may be manuallymoved to closed position to constitute said further valve as said reliefmeans and to open position to constitute said operator-actuated valve assaid relief means.

15. In a pressing machine which has a buck, a head movable towards andaway from said buck, a cylinder which has a slidable piston therein,connecting means between said piston and said head to move said headtowards said buck when said piston is moved in an outward stroke in saidcylinder, a source of compressed air, an anterior valve-casing and asucceeding valve-casing, said anterior casing having an inlet port andan outlet port and an exhaust port, said inlet port being adapted to beconnected to said source of compressed air, said anterior casing havinga normally closed inlet valve which is normally located to blockcommunication between said inlet port and said outlet port, saidanterior casing having a normally open exhaust valve which is normallylocated to provide communication between the interior of said anteriorvalve-casing and its exhaust port, said succeeding valve-casing havingan outlet port which is connected by an outlet pipe to the inner end ofsaid cylinder, said succeeding valve-casing having an inlet port whichis connected to said source of compressed air, said succeedingvalve-casing having a normally closed inlet valve which is normally in aposition to block communication between the inlet and outlet ports ofsaid succeeding valve-casing, said succeeding valve-casing having aflexible diaphragm which closes one end of said succeeding valve-casing,said flexible diaphragm being at one end of a diaphragm chamber whichhas a chamber-inlet, said outlet port of said anterior casing beingconnected to said chamber-inlet by a conduit, a check-valve in saidconduit which permits flow of air through said conduit only from saidoutlet port of said anterior casing to said chamber-inlet, a by-passpipe which connects said outlet pipe to positionand close said powerinlet said conduit at a part of said conduit which succeeds itscheck-valve, said by-pass pipe having an additional check-valve whichpermits anto flow through said by-pass pipe only from said outlet pipeto said by-pass pipe, an operatoractuated member associatedwith "saidanterior casing and adapted to open the respective inlet valve and toclose the respective exhaust valve to close the exhaust port of saidanterior valvecasing and to establish communication between its inletport and its outlet port, a movable relief valve which succeeds thefirst-mentioned checkvalve, said relief valve being connected to saiddiaphragm chamber and being movable to a'closed position, and also to anopen position in which it connects said diaphragm chamber to theatmosphere, said resilient diaphragm having means to open the inletvalve of said succeeding valve-casmg to establish communication betweenits inlet .port and its outlet port when said diaphragm is flexed bycompressedair in said diaphragm chamber, said diaphragm being normallyin a normal position in which said inlet valve of said succeedingvalve-casing is kept closed, said diaphragm being in said normalposition when said relief valve is in :its open position.

HYMAN E. COLE.

WALTER OLSEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NmnberName Date 127753127 Gregoire Sept. 19, 1930 1,974,284 Daly Sept. 18,1934 2,116,143 Dewey May '3, 1938

